Dress Uniforms

Posted on Tue Feb 6th, 2024 @ 11:51am by Warrant Officer Iryna Voznyuk

Mission: What If?
797 words - 1.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Nestled within the historic streets of Barcelona, Spain, the venue for celebration of Atlantis assignment to the Xindi mission was an architectural marvel that seamlessly blended tradition with modernity. The venue was a refurbished 18th-century Catalan mansion, adorned with intricate wrought iron balconies and vibrant mosaic tiles. The grand entrance led guests into a courtyard illuminated by the warm glow of fairy lights, where centuries-old olive trees provide a natural canopy for mingling under the starlit Mediterranean sky.

Iryna was sure that if she could see herself at boot camp she’s marvel at where she had come from in midst of Ukraine and Russia deep winters to standing in what had to be the most fabulous building she had ever been in before. She was stood in a group of her fellow MACOs but none of them were dressed like normally were as they were wearing their fanciest clothes. “We do not scrub up too badly.” She assured knowing that King and Stenn had already been and gone from the group so it was up to her to lift some of the newer MACOs spirits being so out of their comfort zones.

Dress Uniforms were a bit of an oddity for newly promoted Sergeant Eli McEntyre. Fresh from assignment to MACOs 5th Orbital Airborne, his assignment to the Detachment of the Atlantis came at a bit of a shock. Still, he was happily to have been chosen by the United Earth for this assignment. Taking on the Xindi was a big honor.

Descending down the stairs, he glanced around the room, taking in his fellows and colleagues. He felt like a sore thumb with his stark red beret, signifying his position within the MACO.

Iryna raised an eyebrow at the man she did not know but stood out more than anyone else. She slowly approached and offered her hand. “Warrant Officer Voznyuk. I do not believe we have met yet Sergeant.”She knew the group of MACOs she had been with but there were several new people being inserted into their deployment team for different skills.

Eli takes the offered hand and shook it for a moment in greeting.

"Sergeant Eli McEntyre, 5th MACO Orbital Airborne. A pleasure, Warrant Officer" His voice had a sauveness to it, rough, heavily accented from growing up in Texas

"Pleasure's mine, Sergeant McEntyre. Quite the transition from deep Ukrainian winters to this stunning Barcelona venue, wouldn't you say?” She wondered making the conversation. If she was meant to make a team out of them all she needed to start somewhere. “It seems even the grandeur of this place can't overshadow your distinctive red beret.“ She teased every so slightly trying to offer something that he would be used to in Military Assault Command Operation camaraderie and the ribbing of each other.

Eli smiled softly.

"Winters remind me of home back in Texas. Always did have a fondness for the snow and ice, reminds me of an old movie I used to love. As for my Beret, it's the traditional cover for the Orbitial Airborne Regiments." He commented proudly and fondly.

Iryna smiled a little. She was not at all sure Texas winters were anything like Ukraine winters at all. She had spent whole months surrounded by snow and ice growing up. Her parents had always used those months to spend with her she had always missed winter after they died and she moved to Kyiv even in her first year of university before boot camp she had not been able to recapture that high of a proper winter. "I am fully aware that you are Orbitial Airborne Regiments but when you are joining our unit you'll be losing that surely? Our mission is diplomacy despite our appearance."

"It's still within regulations, Ma'am, but I do see where you're coming from." Eli conceded, putting his beret under an epaulette. "Haven't served on Starships before, is there any other advice I should know about, Ma'am?" He asked curiously of the senior Warrant Officer.

The woman shrugged at his curiosity. She had served on a couple of smaller vessels but nothing like the Atlantis was going to be. The ship was beautiful from her tour last week and very much had the new ship smell to her. Even her quarters and the barracks looked like no one had ventured into them since the day they had been completed.

“Nothing different about serving on vessels compared to bases on planet from my limited small ship experience. You would have done the same training as everyone else with your added extra. So tell me abo it the Orbitial Airborne Regiments? What skills do you bring?” She wondered as a waiter offered them drinks and she took them both a drink passing one to him.

TRANCATED